Designers wish to ensure that the feeling of resistance felt when a first push-button is activated remains constant compared to the resistance felt when a second push-button is activated and, in a preferred identical mode, while keeping the functions of the two push-buttons independent. This is not always the case for known chronographs, particularly when one of the push-buttons is activated more often than the other. For many applications, equal resistance for both push-buttons is also desired, i.e. one wishes the user to feel the same resistance both when he activates the start/stop push-button and when he activates the reset push-button. Moreover, it is sought to make the functions of the two push-buttons completely independent of each other.
A chronograph control device is known, in particular, from GB Patent No. 698 763. This document discloses a chronograph mechanism including two push-buttons, each cooperating with a pivotably mounted lever. The first lever cooperates with the second so as to make the second lever pivot when the first lever is driven in rotation. A spring abuts on a stud secured to the second lever, so as to stop the lever against the second push-button. When the second lever is pivoted via the action of the push-button, it is subjected to the return force of the spring, whereas the first lever is subjected to this return force indirectly, via the second lever. One drawback of this mechanism is the interdependence of the two push-buttons.
It is thus an object of the invention to overcome this drawback and to provide users with a chronograph control device that meets the requirements explained above.